Ion barrier membrane for use in a vacuum tube using electron multiplying, an electron multiplying structure for use in a vacuum tube using electron multiplying as well as a vacuum tube using electron multiplying provided with such an electron multiplying structure
View Patent ↗An electron multiplying structure for use in a vacuum tube using electron multiplying comprises an input face to be oriented in a facing relationship with an entrance window of the vacuum tube, an output face to be oriented in a facing relationship with a detection surface of the vacuum tube, as well as an ion barrier membrane for shielding off stray ions. The vacuum tube uses electron multiplying having a photocathode capable of releasing electrons into the vacuum chamber when exposed to light, electric field device for accelerating the released electrons from the photocathode towards an anode spaced apart from the photocathode in a facing relationship, as well as an electron multiplying structure. An ion barrier membrane is used in a vacuum tube and/or an electron multiplying structure. The ion barrier membrane is composed of at least one atomic layer containing graphene.
1. An electron multiplying structure for use in a vacuum tube using electron multiplying, the electron multiplying structure being constructed as a microchannel plate, and comprising
an input face intended to be oriented in a facing relationship with an entrance window of the vacuum tube,
an output face intended to be oriented in a facing relationship with a detection surface of the vacuum tube, as well as
an ion barrier membrane for shielding off stray ions, wherein said ion barrier membrane is composed of at least one atomic layer containing graphene and said ion barrier membrane is placed on the input face of the electron multiplying structure.
2. Electron multiplying structure according to claim 1 , wherein said ion barrier membrane is composed of multiple atomic layers containing graphene.
3. Electron multiplying structure according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one atomic layer solely contains graphene.
4. Electron multiplying structure according to claim 1 , wherein an ion barrier membrane is placed at the output face of the electron multiplying structure.
5. Electron multiplying structure according to claim 1 , wherein said electron multiplying structure is arranged to support the entrance window of the vacuum tube.
6. An vacuum tube using electron multiplying having a photocathode capable of releasing electrons into said vacuum chamber when exposed to light, electric field means for accelerating said released electrons from said photocathode towards an anode spaced apart from said photocathode in a facing relationship, as well as an electron multiplying structure according to claim 1 disposed in said vacuum chamber between said photocathode and said anode.
7. An vacuum tube using electron multiplying according to claim 6 , wherein said photocathode is composed from one or more materials contained in columns III and/or V of the periodic table of elements.
8. An vacuum tube using electron multiplying according to claim 6 , wherein said vacuum tube is constructed as an image intensifier tube.
9. An vacuum tube using electron multiplying according to claim 6 , wherein said vacuum tube is constructed as a photo multiplier tube.
10. An vacuum tube using electron multiplying according to claim 6 , wherein said vacuum tube is constructed as a channeltron.
11. An vacuum tube using electron multiplying according to claim 6 , wherein said vacuum tube is constructed as a microchannel plate detector.
12. An ion barrier membrane for shielding off stray ions in an electron multiplying structure being constructed as a microchannel plate for use in a vacuum tube using electron multiplying, the electron multiplying structure comprising:
an input face intended to be oriented in a facing relationship with an entrance window of the vacuum tube; and
an output face intended to be oriented in a facing relationship with a detection surface of the vacuum tube, wherein said ion barrier member is composed of at least one atomic layer of graphene and said ion barrier membrane is placed at the input face of the electron multiplying structure.